Gathering

 My teacher taught me a neat trick to gathering. For this shirt, I'm just gathering a little bit on the back. The trick is to baste at 3/8" and then again at 6/8" and sewing down the middle. This way you don't have any large gathers in your fabric. The 6/8" baste will show on the right side, so you have to pull it. (Remember to pull gathering the SAME way every time).

Muslin Lining

I've cut out my Burda blouse pattern pieces and have pinned them to my muslin for class. Today we will be creating our lining.

Picnic Time!

Kansas has been having a mild winter so my husband and I decided to go for a hike with our babies. As we hiked we decided that this weekend we would make a day of it and pack a picnic. So, I decided to make a little holder for the silverwear. My goal for my diy crafts is that they are quick and easy to make. You can always make them fancier. I took a piece of my favorite fabric and went from there. Enjoy!

Fold over 1/4" then another 1/4"

Materials needed:
Ribbon


Two 4.5" x 11" rectangular pieces of fabric (or use my pattern in "My Additions" section)


sewing machine
thread
pinking shears (for finishing the ribbon, or you can always sew over the ends)




Directions
1. Measure (or use pattern) and cut 2 rectangles of your fabric.
2. On one side of each of your pieces of fabric, fold over 1/4 inch, then another 1/4 inch and edgestitch.
3. Then, with right sides together, sew the three sides, being sure to leave the top (where you edgestitched) open.
4. Turn and iron.
5. Cut ribbon to desired length, then pin in desired location. Topstitch around the fabric, being sure to accurately stitch over the ribbon (I accidently tore part of the ribbon).
6. Finish off the ribbon ends using pinking shears or desired method.

Voila! You now can go on a picnic!

How to make your own hot pads

I made myself a couple of hot pads from scrap fabric. You can make whatever size you like. 

Finished hot pad

Materials:

Scrap fabric

Scrap batting

thread, sewing machine

iron

Directions:

1. I stitched together scap fabric to make two 9" x 11" rectangular pieces. 

2. I then used scrap batting and layered it with the batting down, backside facing right side up, front side facing wrong side up. 

3. Then I stitched all around, leaving about a 1-2" opening for turning. 

4. I turned it right side out, pressed it, then topstitched all the way around, making sure that the opening was stitched closed. You can always slipstitch the opening closed too. 

5. Then, quilt as desired. 

I like to use hot pads to practice my machine quilting. It didn't take very long to do either. Enjoy!

Layer pieces for stitching.

Turn right side out.

Topstitching.

Buffet Cover

I purchased several different kinds of Anna Maria Horner's fabric and decided to make a reversible buffet cover.

Tablecloth Flair

I'm making a tablecloth (well, modifying one) for my craft fair.  I'm becoming a fan of Anna Maria Horner's line of fabric and decided to use her design for my modification. I took an existing tablecloth that I hadn't used (60"x 90") and added a border.

Directions for modifying your own tablecloth:

1.  Measure the tablecloth, then figure out how wide you want the border to be. (You can always take your tablecloth measurement to your favorite fabric store and they will figure this out for you).

2. Pick out your fabric. 

3. Use your rotary cutter for precise cuts, or use your scissors. Remember to iron before cutting. (I picked a repeating pattern, so I just cut on the pattern- my way of cheating).

4.  Carefully pin wrong sides together. (You may need to sew the borders together if they aren't long enough. Be sure to iron the seams).

5. Then, sew the top border on the tablecloth and then the bottom.

6. Sew the side borders on (make sure to overlap and sew over the top/bottom border pieces).

7. Create your hem (fold under 1/4" then another 1/4") and topstitch.

Cat Applique

My daughter loves our cat and cats in general. In order to cover up a stain on a white turtle neck, I created a cat applique. It takes a little time to cut it out, but I think it's worth it.


















Materials needed:


4 different pieces of scrap fabric (one is black)
iron on fusible
two buttons, color of main face fabric (for the eyes)
coordinating thread and sewing machine
Cat Applique Pattern (click on "My Additions" to the right).


Time: About an hour


Directions:


1. Trace the cat face shapes onto the iron on fusible.
2. Iron on the shapes to the fabric. (I like to do it this way so I can cut out the already  traced iron-on pieces).
3. Place main face fabric  on shirt first, iron, then use your machine blanket stitch to stitch in place. (Use a tear-away if you need to). I didn't need it, but it will depend on the fabric you are ironing the cat face to.
4. Place on ear pieces and iron in place.
5. Place whiskers, then mouth piece over the whiskers. Place nose over the mouth piece and iron all pieces in place.
6. Blanket stitch around ears, mouth, and nose piece. Use a straight stitch close to the edges of the whiskers. 
7. Sew on the buttons, being sure to secure properly.


I like to use flannel, so I used flannel for the mouth piece and large ear pieces.


Send me your pics of your cat faces!

Holiday Bubble Skirt

Holiday Bubble Skirt

I like to use special fabrics for baby clothes. If I mess up, then I know I didn’t spend hundreds of dollars to make something I cut out wrong. This is a no-risk pattern if you’d like to make something special for that little girl in your life. :)

Supplies Needed:

Pattern for the Little Girl Rufle Skirt (you can purchase in my Etsy shop).

Velvet for front and back of skirt

4” wide band of Brocade or other special fabric for length of bottom band of skirt

Tulle to put in bottom of skirt

Fabric to match main fabric color (I used black, since that’s what I had on hand for the brown velvet).  This will be a band 1.5 to 2 times the width of the outside fabric band

1. Print out pattern and match up lines (tape using scotch tape) then pin pattern on fold and cut 2 times, one for front and one for back.

2. With right sides together, match up the front and back of the skirt and stitch.

Make casing for elastic

3. Fold top of skirt ¼ inch (DO NOT PRESS SINCE IT IS VELVET) Then fold fabric 1 inch over the previous fold (this will be the casing for the elastic). (DO NOT PRESS).

4. Top stitch the fold at the bottom of the edge, leaving a 1 inch opening at the back for putting in the elastic. It is somewhat hard to stitch the velvet, but be patient and just do you best. This is a very forgiving pattern.

5. Put a safety pin on one end of the elastic and use this to put the elastic through the casing. Pin the other end together with safety pin to desired waist band. Put on child to check for sizing. Loosen or tighten elastic to desired fit, then re-pin. Trim elastic and then use a zigzag stitch over each end of the elastic to secure. Topstitch the opening closed.

6. With right sides together, put the special fabric band and skirt together. (Be sure to sew strips together if they are not long enough to go around the entire skirt). Topstitch together. Turn.

7.  With right sides together, put the special fabric band and inside skirt band together. (Be sure to sew strips together if they are not long enough to go around the entire skirt). Topstitch together. Turn.

8. Using tulle the length of the bottom of the skirt, place inside between the special fabric band and the inside skirt band. I just folded the tulle I had on hand and cut it to length. I only used two folds. You do not need to stitch this in place.

9. Use a whip stitch to connect the inside band to the main part of the velvet skirt (pin in place). Be sure that the special fabric band is slightly turned towards the inside. Be sure to stitch small stitches so that they do not show in the front. You may notice larger stitches on the inside, which is normal. I stitched by hand in about 30 minutes.

Little Girl Ruffle Skirt

Little Girl Ruffle Skirt (Size 21 inch waist and another pattern for 24 inch waist).

Since I have extra fabric from quilting, I decided to make my daughter another Christmas gift- a skirt. Please read all directions first before proceeding. If you have questions, please leave me a comment.

Supplies Needed:

Pattern (click on my Etsy shop)

Fabric for skirt

8” band of tulle for ruffle, double the width of each side of the skirt

Another band of fabric, 4 inches wide and two inches longer than the width of the skirt

Thread, sewing machine

Pinking shears (or you can zigzag stitch the edges)

3/4” non roll elastic, length of waist plus 2 inches (23 inches if making skirt for 21 inch waist)

Coordinating ribbon, an inch longer than the width of each side of the skirt.

Time: A few hours

Machine Washable/Dryable: Depends on your fabric. If using tulle, I would put it in a garment bag and wash on cold/delicate cycle and you can dry low for a few minutes or lay flat to dry.

Directions:

1. Cut out pattern on fold (you will cut twice, one for front and one for back).

Create the side slits (You can skip this part. I like side slits so my little girl can crawl, but you may find that you don't need them).

2. Fold in sides of each side of the skirt 1/4  inch, then another 1/4 inch, for 3 inches (or desired length). Do this for all four sides, only for 2-3 inches or desired length.

3. With right sides together, sew the front and back of the skirt together, making sure not to sew up  the sides of the skirt slits, but sew a little bit over to enclose the sides of the skirt. Secure the ends or double back machine stitching.

4.  Trim edges using pinking shears.

Make Casing for Elastic (see pictures for help)

5. Keeping wrong sides out, fold top of skirt 1/4 inch, then press.  Then fold fabric1 inch over the previous fold (this will be the casing for the elastic), and press. 

6. Top stitch the fold at the bottom of the edge, leaving a 1” opening at the back for putting in the elastic.

7. Put a safety pin on one end of the elastic and use this to put the elastic through the casing. Pin the other end together with safety pin to desired waist width. Put on child to check for sizing. Loosen or tighten elastic to desired fit, then re-pin. Trim elastic and then use a zigzag stitch over each end of the elastic to secure. Topstitch the opening closed.

8. Turn right side out.

Make ruffles

9.  Make  2 separate strips of ruffles from the tulle. In order to make the ruffle baste stitch two parallel lines at the top of the ruffle, then pull the bobbin threads to create the ruffles to desired length of skirt sides.

Finish the edges of the 4 inch fabric bands

10.  Fold under 1/4 inch of the 4 inch fabric, then fold under another 1/4 inch and then topstitch.

11. With the right side of the 4 inch fabric ruffle on top of the tulle ruffle, top stitch along bottom basting ruffle. You are sewing the ruffle and 4 inch fabric together before attaching to the main part of the skirt. Do this twice, one for the front side, and another set for the back of the skirt.

12. With right sides together, put the ruffle/4 inch fabric band and front of skirt together.  (Right sides are meeting at the bottom of the skirt). Topstitch together. Repeat for back of skirt.

13.  Then, topstitch or use a zigzag stitch to secure the back of the ruffles.

14. Topstitch your ribbon to each side of the skirt to cover the stitching for the ruffles. (Fold in each side of the ribbon before stitching). Be sure to secure the ends. 

15. Press where needed, being sure not to press the tulle.

Put on your little girl and go! :)

Grocery Bag

I have learned that my children love to play with items that aren’t toys. So, I’m creating my own “not toys.” I am in the process of sewing up food items and I needed a grocery bag to go with them. 

How to create the grocery bag:

Supplies needed:

Canvas (sides of the bag and the bottom).

2 different types of fabric (one for the outside and handles, second for the lining)

Bag Pattern Pieces (Check Etsy shop soon)

Sewing Machine and thread

Time: about 2-3 hours

Machine washable/dryable: Yes!

Directions:

1. Iron fabric.

Cut Fabric:

For the outside of the bag:

2. Cut 4 strips of 2 x 10 inches, using the fabric for the outside of the grocery bag(for the handles).

3. Cut 2 rectangles of piece A and B for the outside of the bag. 

4. Cut 1 rectangle of piece C for the bottom of the bag.

5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the bag lining.

6. Cut 2 rectangles of piece A from the canvas.

7. Cut 1 rectangle of piece C from the canvas.


I like to use a disappearing marker to mark my pieces.

Outside of the bag:

8. Next, pin (wrong sides together) the canvas pieces to the corresponding sides of the grocery bag (outside fabric).  (These are pieces and C). Stitch using ¼ inch seam allowance. 

I like to cut out my fabric all at one time, pin as much as I can, then sew. This makes it easier for me when I have to watch kiddos and cut fabric at the same time.

 

9. Pin piece C to piece A (right sides together).





10. With right sides together, pin piece B to each side of piece A.

11. Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance.

How to sew up the bag:

12. With right sides together, sew the edges around the bottom of the bag using a ½ inch seam allowance.

13. With right sides together, sew up the sides, using a ½ inch seam allowance. (Be careful to match up the seams).

Lining:

Follow steps 9-13.

Handles:

14. Pin and stitch (right sides together) each side of the 2 x 10 strips together using a ¼ inch seam allowance.  Be sure to leave ends open. Trim edges. Then, use a safety pin and attach it to one side of the strip. Push the safety pin up through the middle of the handle, pulling it right side out.

15. Press handles.

Putting it all together:

16. Turn the lining so that right sides are facing out. Place the bag (the outside part with the canvas) inside the lining, wrong sides facing out, matching up with the wrong sides of the lining. Make sure that seams are aligned, then pin in place.

17. Sew using a ½ inch seam allowance. *Leave one side of bag open so you are able to turn it.

18. Turn bag and check seams for closure. Press bag where needed.

19. Be sure to press top of bag, where lining is.

Handles:

20. Take handles and fold under ¼ inch on each edge and pin 2 inches in from sides of bag (1 inch between handles). Do this on each side of bag.

21. Pin opening on bag closed (turning under to match up with the rest of the lining).

22. Topstitch or use decorative stitching around entire bag to secure handles and close opening on bag. I liked the wavy design that my machine has and decided to incorporate that. Be sure to double bag on ends or knot with needle

Now give to your little boy or girl!